


Serendipity

by Zivitz



Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25691779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zivitz/pseuds/Zivitz
Summary: There are no mistakes, just happy accidents.
Relationships: Donna Paulsen & Rachel Zane, Donna Paulsen/Harvey Specter, Mike Ross/Rachel Zane
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Kay, who asked nicely.

She was late. Officially. And she was never late. Not since that awful scare in college and she’d been vigilant about protection since then, even after she married. Kids were in the Plan, but not yet; it was way, way too soon. They’d just gotten settled in Seattle, the firm was toddling along on legs not quite ready to run yet, and while it wouldn’t be the _worst_ thing to happen in their lives it was definitely going to throw a wrench in the works.

Rachel sighed as she flushed the toilet and climbed into the shower. A week was a long time, and she knew she should just get a test over with. She’d stop by the pharmacy and take the test at work, she decided. Then she’d know.

She’d barely put her bag down when Donna was in her office, closing the door behind her. “Okay, spill.”

Rachel frowned. “Spill what?”

“What’s making you try to sneak around like a villain from a silent film.”

She sighed and sat down in her chair. “Is it that obvious?”

“Maybe it’s just because I’m your best friend. So what is it? Trouble in paradise? Spent too much on those swanky shoes? Having an-“

“I think I’m pregnant,” she blurted, and Donna stopped, a smile blossoming on her face.

“That’s fantastic- isn’t it?” Donna frowned slightly at the anguished expression on Rachel’s face.

“No- yes! Oh, I don’t know. We weren’t planning on this for at least a few years and I don’t want Mike to be disappointed. There’s just so much left to do here and it would be SUCH an adjustment and I don’t know if we’re ready for it at all.” She put her head in her hands and sighed.

“I’m positive Mike will be overjoyed no matter when it happens.”

“I know that. I just have a hard time feeling it.”

“Well there’s no point in worrying about it until you know one way or the other. Did you get a test yet?”

Rachel opened her purse and offered the contents for inspection. “I went with a three pack. If it’s positive I’m going to want to take it again. If it’s not, well, it can’t hurt to have them on hand.”

Donna nodded in approval. “So let’s go.”

“Now?” she said incredulously.

“No time like the present. You’re going to be worrying about this until you take it, so let’s just get it over with. I’ll even take one with you.”

Rachel raised a brow. “Are you and Harvey-“

Donna laughed. “That’s a definite no. But who doesn’t like to pee on a stick every once in a while? C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

“You have a strange concept of fun,” she grumbled, but followed Donna down the hall to the toilets. Choosing stalls beside each other, Rachel handed one of the tests under the cubicle wall. “Here goes nothing.”

All sound was blocked from her mind and she held her breath as she watched the countdown and waited for the result. When the bright, clear “NOT PREGNANT” appeared on the screen she let it all out in a great rush. “Oh, thank God. Donna, it’s negative, I can’t believe it.” Her heart was pounding and she rested her head against the coolness of the cubicle for a few moments before it registered that she hadn’t heard a response from next door.

“Donna?”

Donna sounded odd when she said, “Rach, give me the last test.”

“What?”

“Give me the other test. Now.”

“Why?” she asked, even as she fumbled in her bag and handed the last test under the stall.

Donna didn’t answer at first, and Rachel was getting worried. “Donna, what’s the matter? Why do you need another one, it’s not like the first was- oh my God.” She quickly finished in the stall and washed her hands to the unnatural silence in the room. Just as she was about to knock on the stall door and demand entry, it opened.

Donna was pale, her freckles and hair seeming to stand out against her skin more than usual. She handed Rachel the tests. “PREGNANT” was clear as day on both of them. She sucked in her breath as Donna washed up, then approached her and quietly put a hand on her back.

“Are you okay?” she asked tentatively. She knew what she’d want in this situation- a hug, reassurance, and promises that she wouldn’t have to go through this alone. But also congratulations and excitement. She thought maybe Donna would be the same way, but right now this was a Donna she didn’t know- one in pure shock. She’d never seen her friend unable to handle something before.

“Donna, breathe,” she said, and Donna released the breath she’d been holding. “That’s right. In and out. You’ve got this.”

“Jesus, Rachel, what am I going to tell Harvey?”

Rachel shrugged. “That he’s going to be a father?”

“Think about how nervous you were about telling Mike. Now triple it. We haven’t even _talked_ about kids, let alone made any plans. We _just_ got here, everything’s up in the air, we don’t even have a permanent place yet and half our stuff’s still in boxes, oh my God.” She gave a strangled laugh. “What’s my mother going to say?” She turned her back to the wall and slid down to the floor.

Rachel sat down with her. “Donna, you don’t need to panic. Everything’s going to be fine. You guys have been looking at places, now you know you have to look at slightly bigger ones. Your stuff’s still in boxes to make it easier to move. Your mom will be overjoyed.” She put a hand on Donna’s knee. “ _And so will Harvey.”_

“I wish I could be sure of that. This isn’t something I can just magic us out of if he gets mad.”

“Donna, look at me.” She took Donna’s chin in her hand and turned her head. “That man has been in love with you for longer than I’ve known either of you. So in love he did everything to avoid losing you in his life and had panic attacks when you walked _down the hall_ to Louis. Believe me, a child tying you to him for the rest of your lives is going to make him ecstatic.”

Donna gave a watery laugh. “Yeah, I guess when you put it that way…”

“Of course I’m right. Now come on, we’ve got to figure out how you’re going to tell him.” She patted her friend’s knee and brushed the dust off her skirt as she rose.

“What do you mean ‘how I’m going to tell him’?”

“Donna, this is your first baby. We’ve got to do something special.”

Donna’s eyes widened. “ _First_ baby? _We_? I think you’re getting ahead of yourself, Auntie Rach”

Rachel flashed a thousand watt smile. “Oh, I like how that sounds.”

“I’ll figure it out. Somehow.”

“You peed on a stick for me. The least I can do is help you figure out how to share your news. Please?”

“You’re just glad it’s not you.”

“Absolutely,” she said happily.

“You’re a terrible friend.”

“The worst.”

Donna sighed as they walked down the corridor to their offices. “We’ll talk about it at lunch.”

“Talk about what?” Mike looped an arm around Rachel’s shoulder as he caught up with them.

Rachel beamed at her husband. “Just girl stuff, you don’t want to know.”

Mike wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, yeah, I’m pretty sure I have to help a client, uh, do something.”

Donna laughed as they reached her office. “Nice save, but you weren’t invited anyway.”

“I’m wounded. Dinner maybe?”

“Maybe. I’ll talk to Harvey.”

Donna swore Rachel’s eyes were actually twinkling as she walked off with her husband. She crossed to her desk and started to sort through that morning’s emails. She wished she’d never offered to take that test. She knew that was nonsensical, taking the test didn’t _make_ her pregnant, but still. She brushed her hand against her lap. Now that she knew what was there, now that the shock had worn off a bit, she smiled slightly. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.


	2. The Reckoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey finds out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to Abby, who helped me over the hump, and to everyone who supported me through this. Love you guys.

Donna felt nervous as she walked down the hall with the plain white cup. Rachel had taken her to a boutique at lunch and she felt more than a little silly telling Harvey he was going to be a father via message in the bottom of a mug, but Rachel had seemed so taken with the idea. And frankly she wasn’t coming up with anything better other than just spitting it out, but this seemed to be one of those times when it was appropriate to be cute and sentimental instead of straightforward and direct.

She found him at his desk and smiled. “Hey. I brought you coffee.”

Harvey frowned. “What did you do?”

“What do you mean ‘what did I do’? Can’t I bring my husband a coffee?” She set the cup down next to him and put her hands on her hips. This was not going the way Rachel said it would at all.

“You can, but you never do.” He sniffed it. “It’s not poisoned or anything is it?”

“No, but I’m beginning to wish it was.”

“Okay, jeez.” He stood up and put his hands on her upper arms. “Thank you for bringing me a cup of coffee.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, as much of a display of affection as they allowed themselves at the office, and leaned back. “Better?”

Donna ran a hand through her hair. “Yes. I’m sorry I was so snippy. I’m just nervous about-“ she stopped herself before she said too much.

“About what?”

“Nothing. Just drink your coffee.”

Harvey looked at her suspiciously as he sat back down at his desk. “You’re _sure_ it’s not poisoned? Drugged, maybe? If there’s something you need to tell me-“

“It’s nothing. Do you mind if I sit in here a while? I miss you.”

Harvey’s brows rose sharply. “The office is the only time we’re _not_ constantly together and you _miss_ me?”

_Dammit_. Now he definitely knew there was something going on. “I don’t have to, I just thought it might be nice-“

“No, it’s okay. I’m just… surprised is all. I have a meeting at 4, though.”

“I’ll just go through some emails,” she said, shaking her phone at him. Donna settled herself in what was mentally ‘her’ corner of his office couch and tried to work, she really did. But it was hard when she was glancing at Harvey out of the corner of her eye every thirty seconds to see if he was drinking the coffee. And he was, one sip at a time.

After several minutes, he closed his laptop. “Okay, what’s going on?”

She blinked at him innocently. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you never bring me coffee in the afternoon, you never want to just spend time working in my office during the day, and you’ve been side-eyeing me every five seconds for the last ten minutes. So what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Just drink your coffee.”

He squinted at her. “You keep saying that. What’s so important about this coffee? It’s not the civet stuff is it? Because I draw the line at something that’s been shit out by-”

She slammed her phone down on the coffee table. So much for cute and sentimental. She crossed the room to his desk, grabbed the cup, and dumped the contents into the palm plant she’d made him accept from the secretarial pool as a welcome present.

“For God’s sake, Harvey.” She shoved the empty cup into his hand. “I’m pregnant.”

If she weren’t so nervous about the whole thing, she would have laughed at the expression on his face.

“What did you just say?”

She pointed to his hand. “You were supposed to drink that and see the message at the bottom.”

He looked into the cup at last, finding “you’re going to be a dad” written in swirly text. He blinked at it, and then back up at her. “And you thought telling me with a cup was the way to go?”

Donna threw her hands up. “I don’t know, Rachel said it would be cute.”

“Wait, _Rachel_ knows?”

She groaned and rubbed at her face. “Ugh, this is not going at all like it was supposed to.”

Harvey set the cup down on the desk. “And how was it supposed to go?”

“I don’t **_know_** , Harvey, I’ve never done this before.” She threw herself into one of the chairs opposite his desk and closed her eyes. Her heard was racing and he still hadn’t said anything about it and she had no idea what kind of a reaction this was- he didn’t seem angry, so that was good, but she didn’t really think he’d be, and-

“Donna,” he said, taking her hand. She opened her eyes to find him sitting in the other chair. “Breathe. Start from the beginning and tell me everything.”

So she did, from Rachel’s scare to the lunchtime outing. “And I just didn’t know how to tell you, so I kind of let Rachel take the reins.”

He raised a brow. “That’s very unlike you.”

“I’m in shock, okay? It’s not every day you find out you’re unexpectedly pregnant.”

Harvey squeezed her hand. “And you’re sure?”

“I took two tests, and I called a doctor to triple check. They said the over the counter tests are pretty accurate and booked me in for a checkup to make sure everything’s okay.”

He nodded solemnly, and she sighed. “Harvey, I really need you to say something about this. We haven’t talked about it, we just moved here, everything’s new and un-“ She was cut off as he kissed her as passionately as he could manage from an office chair.

“Harvey,” she hissed when he let her up for air. “We’re at _work_.”

He grinned. “Who cares? We’re having a _baby_.”

She let out a sigh of relief, and he frowned slightly. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be happy?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what I thought. Everything’s just so mixed up and I just found out myself. I haven’t had a chance to wrap my head around it.”

“It’s going to take time,” he agreed. “We’ve got- wait, how long have we got?”

“Oh, um.” She did some quick math in her head. “I guess about seven months. Oh my god, Harvey, we’re going to have a baby in _seven months_.”

He brought their joined hands toward him and kissed her hand. “We are,” he said, “and it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”


End file.
